PopMatters Associate Comics Editor Michael D. Stewart has been a freelance writer, pr consultant, loan officer and private detective. He holds degrees in communications and media studies. Michael currently spends his days as a marketing executive and his nights prowling the mean keys of his laptop. Follow him on Twitter: @MichaelDStewart

The spat between Batwoman’s creative and editorial teams has dominated comics news recently. And while the sexual orientation certainly makes the story sensational, this turn of events is solely about publisher DC’s editorial decisions.

While some comic writers and artists find inspiration in the past or the future or other artists or other genres, there are others that choose to jump platforms and find a muse in, say, television. Case in point: Batman #19…

It was only recently that I figured out how much film critic Roger Ebert has influenced my work as a critic and writer. You see, he and I shared one thing in common: we both love the Alex Proyas film Dark City…

I find myself growing tired of Zero Year, a yearlong story that has come after two other lengthy storyarcs. I’m especially tired after lines like this: “Gentlemen, meet my friend…the ‘$%$^! psycho in a batsuit.’

Cultural identity, sexuality, female empowerment, good versus evil, corruption of power, high school, these are just some of the more academic topics that we critics have used to frame discussions of the Chosen One and her friends.